These things take time
by carpelibris
Summary: It was always something small. A hand finding his when they were out together at first under tables to lacing hers together with his when they walked side by side. That reassuring contact that told him she was comfortable. He noticed every subtle shift like the circling of her fingers tracing words and patterns on his forearms and legs, silently beaming. He noticed everything.


It was always something small. A hand finding his when they were out together at first under tables to lacing hers together with his when they walked side by side. That reassuring contact that told him she was comfortable. He noticed every subtle shift like the circling of her fingers tracing words and patterns on his forearms and legs, silently beaming. He noticed everything. It had taken a long time to get near where'd they'd gotten with each other that summer. He should've taken it slower, he learned that much. He'd been overeager and he'd pushed her too much. He wanted the chance to make it better, for them to take their time. Do it properly. He wasn't going anywhere and if he didn't fuck up again hopefully neither would she. At first he was worried that they'd never get as close as before but all those concerns wore away quickly with how easy it was with them, it felt right. Maybe they wouldn't be those couples who shared every waking thought but so long as they didn't bottle it over letting each other know when they had stuff he could deal. He would wait. If they didn't have the words they'd make up for it in weren't always enough.

The scooter were out as a choice since the late November frost was already beginning to cover the pavements and roads along with the chance of Rae's hands wrapping around him as he rode. He was happy enough to settle for a seat next to her in the car as he drove with care through town to the cinema.

They hadn't expected it to be as busy for the time and they found themselves stuck in a queue. It gave them a chance to talk about everything and nothing. He had missed this, listening to her banging on about the latest crap they were playing on the radio and what she'd have picked. He liked hearing her talk like that, seeing the way her face lit up as she spoke about what she cared about. He reminded himself he still had a few tapes he hadn't gotten to give her. The promise of her listening and scoring them after all those hours worrying over his choices and hoping that she didn't think any of them were crap felt close to his chest.

The choices weren't great and by the time they'd got to the counter all that was left up for grabs was the new Alien film, they hadn't seen the older ones but it was better than nothing. She didn't ask for anything when he offered to buy her something at the food counter. He hadn't expected her to, but he bought a large popcorn in the off chance she might change her mind and headed through to the theatre. Finn felt a bit bad, she wasn't a horror fan, he wasn't all that fussed himself but it was an excuse to find her hand in the darkness or whisper in her ear about the film or just to be near her somewhere she would be comfortable. Neither of them had paid all that much attention to the screen anyway, not that he minded.

'Oh bollocks,' Rae had risked a glance up at the wrong time as Sigourney Weaver got jumped by something in the dark and he lost the plot the third time Rae had jumped from a scare, covered the sides of her face with her hands and buried her head in his shoulder as the music screeched. He didn't care. He'd take the trail of her hands over his skin and the scrunching of his shirt as she pulled him closer to her. He slid his hand up the hem of her top and brushed his fingers over the soft skin of her side and round to her back, his other hand caressed the side of her face as the sweetness of her lips pulled him further and further from anything else but her. Rae held onto his thigh to keep herself from slipping away with him. She sighed into his mouth at his kiss as he took her bottom lip between his and a low soft moan escaped him before he wrapped his fingers around the back of her hair to the top of her neck to get closer to her. He would never be close enough.

It didn't feel like the film had even started before the music started playing and the lights started to flare on. As it brightened he saw the flush in her cheeks, the redness of her lips and the warm look in her eyes as they pulled away from the warmth of each other and people got up to leave as the credits played. Rae snapped out of her daze as she took in the sight of Finn across from her.

'Oh shit,' she whispered, stifling an embarrassed laugh as she caught sight of the collection of creases where she'd grabbed at his shirt. 'Sorry.'

Finn looked down at himself in amusement, 's'alright,' he shrugged it off and fell into step beside her with a hand on the small of her back as they made their way back out the doors and out into the light of the foyer. Rae ran a hand through her now mussed hair and he found himself reaching over to smooth it down without thinking. Finn dropped his hand sheepishly and shook the still two thirds full popcorn absently.

'Don't think I can finish these,' Finn shook the bag towards her in the off chance.

Rae looked over at him with an unsure expression. Her mouth went to offer her usual answer that she was alright when she took a breath, changing her mind. She reached over, hesitantly pinching a handful out from the packet.

Finn tried not to react, like it wasn't a big deal; it was massive, but he was smart enough to know that if he made a big deal out of it she might clam up again and he couldn't handle her pulling away again. He could see her hesitation as he watched her and just smiled and took a handful of his own before unceremoniously stuffing them into his mouth, chewing open-mouthed with a grin in his eyes. Maybe she'd get a bit more comfortable if he messed about, that if he could show her that he didn't care how she saw him that she might not herself.

To his relief and amusement she scrunched her features and pulled a disgusted face. 'Eugh, nice,' she smirked, shaking her head.

'What did ya think then?' He asked her once they were out of earshot of anybody waiting for the next screening. He couldn't remember anything past the opening bits, but he was curious.

'I were too busy looking at the carpet, then I got a bit distracted so…' the corners of her mouth pulled down in a grimace and a silent laugh escaped him, 'apart from that it was alright.'

'Not my best idea,' he said apologetically.

'Didn't say that,' she gave him a coy teasing glance.

'Right then, good,' he managed, keeping his gaze downcast to hide a bashful grin. He hunched his inwards shoulders towards his chest and looked up at her again with a confident expression. 'Give the next one a miss then?'

'Think so, yeah,' she nodded with him in unison. 'Time is it?'

'Erm, quarter to I think.' After a beat he twisted to ask, 'fancy heading back to mine, girl?'

In response to her questioning look he pretended to remember, 'I don't think I managed to show ya that crap reggae.'

'Right,' the corner of her mouth crept up into a playful smile. She moved towards him first and he felt that jolt in his chest and his eyebrows raised in a flash, betraying his surprise for a second as she looped her arm in his to pull him close to her. He warmed at the heat and the softness of her as they fell in step closely together. He tried and failed to contain the satisfied smile from breaking across his features as they moved together. They were getting there, they were really getting there.


End file.
